High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the thiobarbituric acid adducts of malonaldehyde and trans,trans-muconaldehyde

A reversed-phase HPLC method is described for the separation and analysis of the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) adducts of the reactive aldehydes muconaldehyde (MUC) and malonaldehyde (MDA). The TBA adduct of malonaldehyde was synthesized, purified, and its structure elucidated, for use as standard in quantitative HPLC studies. A detection limit of 1 X 10(-14) mol was achieved for the MUC:TBA and MDA:TBA adducts using the double monochromator fluorometric detector, 7 X 10(-13) mol was the detection limit using a variable wavelength uv-visible detector. Direct on-line identification of the eluting aldehyde:TBA adducts was achieved by the use of a diode-array uv-visible detector. The chromatographic behavior of the adducts under different mobile phase conditions was also examined. This HPLC methodology was used for the identification of muconaldehyde as a product of benzene oxidation in a hydroxyl radical generating system.